Hi guys! Here is a quick update. I re-uploaded the first ten chapters of Scavenger's Ascension to update them to the latest version ahead of a public release.
Hopefully, it's also the final version, so if you still haven't read them, you can give it a go and tell me your thoughts in the comments.
CosmicQuill
The situation we found ourselves in seemed absurdly surreal. One moment, we were only a few dozen meters from salvation, and the next, we were completely surrounded on all sides by a literal flood of monsters.
I always imagined that such crappy developments happened only in movies, but here we were. On the bright side, at least I finally found the culprit behind all of this. Not that it would help us in any way deal with this mess.
'What to do... What to do...' I franticall...
2024-11-15 20:29:14 +0000 UTC View Post'What the...!' The thing that crawled out from the darkness was unlike any monster I'd seen so far. Well, except maybe for that tainted abomination back in Neufeld.
First, there was the sound of countless legs clicking and scraping against the stone floor. Then, the writhing mass of its elongated chitinous body entered the small circle of light around us, and I couldn't help but gasp.
It was like a nightmarish fusion of every insectoid horror a person could think of. Howeve...
2024-11-08 20:14:15 +0000 UTC View PostAs it turned out, the Loading bay was a bustling hub of activity despite it already being late afternoon by the time we arrived.
Dozens of students and seasoned mages alike were either resting after a successful expedition or getting ready to delve into the Labyrinth to explore its mysterious depths.
All around us, we could hear the busy clatter of countless crates and boxes being filled and loaded with the various goods brought from the great chasm by one of the many scave...
2024-11-01 16:55:20 +0000 UTC View PostAfter deciding on the course of action, I told Gill the happy news I'd help him with that job of his, and to say he was overjoyed would be quite an understatement. 'He really likes money, huh...'
We then promptly finished our meals and left the fancy tavern behind, heading for the Assignment Hall, which was also quite conveniently located on the fifth floor.
With the lunch crowds long gone, the streets were now mostly empty, bar a few window shoppers now and then, so the jo...
2024-10-21 16:19:16 +0000 UTC View Post'Ah! So that's why he's being so generous today...' I nodded to myself after hearing Gil's peculiar request.
"So, what do you think, will you help me? We'll split the reward fifty-fifty, of course." He quickly added when I didn't respond right away.
However, I ignored his expectant eyes for the time being as I first wanted to sort out my thoughts and try to make some sense of this sudden development.
He apparently wanted my help with some job, but the fact that he wen...
2024-10-17 15:45:34 +0000 UTC View PostHi guys! Sorry for the late release. I have been feeling a bit under the weather for the past week. Got the flu or something, so I had to take a small break from writing. But don't worry, I'm all good now, so I'll try to finish the next chapter asap.
Darian's quest for the library is proceeding around nicely, but like with everything else, there will be a few hiccups along the way before he can delve into the plethora of arcane knowledge waiting for him there, s...
2024-10-10 17:06:21 +0000 UTC View PostMy seemingly innocent question hung in the air for a short while before Master Ayleth finally raised her eyes from her scroll to meet mine for the first time.
Her piercing gaze landed on me, and I felt the same wave of pressure from before assaulting me, yet I didn't allow myself to waver, holding firm.
I could see the corners of the old woman's mouth curling upward as if pleased with what she was seeing. "You may..."
I was already prepared to be dismissed after witne...
2024-10-03 08:36:49 +0000 UTC View Post
When I opened my eyes the following day, the sun was already beaming through the sole window of my new room. I blinked, slightly surprised by the rare sight as I usually woke up long before sunrise.
'I guess I must have been a lot more tired than I thought...' I mused briefly before shrugging it off as I eagerly jumped out of my flimsy cot.
My new roommates seemed to be already out and about, so I had the entire room for myself for the time being.
I didn't hold it agains...
2024-09-24 18:24:23 +0000 UTC View Post"You wanted to... claim a bed?" I stared blankly at Gil for a few moments before glancing over at the four narrow, unimpressive cots, tilting my head in confusion. Then I noticed that the one closest to the window had already carried the signs of someone lying on it.
"That's right, captain!" Gil nodded enthusiastically.
"And why's that important, exactly?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean?!" Now, it was Gil's turn to act confused, and he looked at ...
2024-09-17 19:31:28 +0000 UTC View PostAfter leaving the chamberlain's office, I felt glad to have it over with but also annoyed by losing all my money like that. Still, it was a much better option than owing such a huge sum of money to a bunch of secretive, all-powerful mages.
'Ah, what a waste! ...But at least the final hurdle is gone.' I thought while walking along one of the many spacious corridors that extended out from the entrance hall like an intricate spiderweb.
I then looked curiously at the strange go...
2024-09-06 18:48:18 +0000 UTC View PostA/N: Sorry for the late release. During editing, I found several discrepancies in my initial draft that I had to fix, but I didn't have enough time to do it in one sitting. Don't worry; it won't affect the release schedule. The next chapter is coming along nicely and should go up on Thursday/Friday like usual.
***
On a certain late spring morning, deep within the confines of the Labyrinth City, the spacious courtyard in front of the Grand Tower was bustling...
2024-09-03 17:01:13 +0000 UTC View Post"Congratulations! You've passed the Trials and have, therefore, been accepted as novices of our esteemed academy!" the old mage proclaimed to the large crowd of successful applicants.
It was sometime after the end of the last Trial, and we were once again gathered in the spacious courtyard before the Tower.
'This is it... after all those years, I've finally fulfilled my long-held dream to became a true mage.' I mused, closing my eyes to relish those precious moments.
...
2024-08-23 17:56:01 +0000 UTC View PostAfter seeing Tristan's smug grin as he emerged from behind one of the collapsed columns at the edge of the vast plaza, I immediately tightened the grip on my scepter-wand and got ready to fight.
I had an inkling that the various tests we had been forced to brave so far were nothing but little games poised to gauge our strength, but now we were finally about to face the true challenge of this Trial.
'Not gonna lie, I'm kind of looking forward to this...' I thought, smirking....
2024-08-17 13:03:06 +0000 UTC View PostThis week's chapter is a beefy one - over 2k words since I didn't want to cut it in the middle of the action, so enjoy :)
***
The journey back to our original spawning location didn't take too long. Knowing that there were no traps or enemies, we sped through the tunnel of darkness under the flickering light of my small flame like there was no tomorrow.
Thus, we soon found ourselves back in the same bare-rock chamber facing the same three om...
2024-08-09 16:24:11 +0000 UTC View PostA/N: A new month - a new chapter!
I'm aware that the last few chapters might feel a bit slower-paced compared to the previous ones. This is mainly because I've introduced several new characters, and since I didn't want to make them seem like just a bunch of sidekicks, fleshing them out requires a healthy number of pages. (Spoiler alert!) Some/all of them might play an important role in the future, so hang on for a bit longer. I promise that the action will pick...
2024-08-01 19:15:35 +0000 UTC View PostRight after I began advancing deeper into the pitch-black tunnel, I immediately noticed something strange. 'It's like a fog...'
And even though I was fully enveloped by the bright glow of the magic flame, I could barely see the contours of Aida's cloak as she walked in front of me.
Upon closer inspection, I realized that my surroundings were shrouded in what looked like a thick veil of oily darkness, making it almost impossible to see for more than a meter in each direction...
2024-07-26 15:21:58 +0000 UTC View PostThe cave's damp air, mixed with the faint scent of rot, irritated my nostrils as I looked ahead. 'Hmm, what to do? What to do...' I wondered, carefully weighing out our options.
A short distance ahead, three dark corridors loomed. Each was exactly the same, with no discerning features that could help me figure out the correct path.
Looking back, I saw in the flickering torchlight that others were still trying to collect their bearings, so I took advantage of this to covertl...
2024-07-19 14:29:37 +0000 UTC View Post"Now, for your final Trial, you'll form groups of five!" The overseer's voice sounded across the large chamber, silencing the quiet murmurs of the applicants gathered before her.
Shortly after telling us the results, we were then promptly escorted into a different room that looked almost identical to the previous one, complete with another huge glowing magic circle carved into the stone floor.
'Another one, huh?' This could mean only one thing - that the third Trial would a...
2024-07-14 09:14:40 +0000 UTC View PostUpon entering the adjacent waiting room, I immediately noticed two other applicants already waiting there.
Sitting right beside the entrance, the first one was a blond-haired boy around my age. However, as soon as I saw him, I had to suppress a sigh.
He was the very picture of a pampered young master—even had that typical condescending smirk I remembered seeing from Ereneth's noble youth.
The boy briefly turned his bright amber eyes in my direction, giving me a shor...
2024-07-09 17:36:21 +0000 UTC View PostA/N: I've finally caught up with my backlog, and we're once again 10 advanced chapters ahead of RR! It took me much longer than I expected, but sometimes life gets in the way, and I didn't want to rush out poorly edited chapters. There will be one more chapter of Arcane Innovator going out over the weekend, and I'm also working on a little bonus chapter that will be exclusive for my Patrons as a thanks for sticking with me for so long. Anyway, that's enough of my blabbering so...
2024-07-04 16:58:14 +0000 UTC View Post'So first an ambiguous riddle and now a shifting maze, huh? ...It will take a lot more than that to stop me.' I smiled mischievously before closing my eyes and activating my magic sense.
I visualized the whole library in my mind's eye, picturing its winding aisles and towering shelves. Focusing intently, I then slowly began constructing a mental map of the place based on my observations so far.
Within it, my target was like a shining beacon smack in the middle. 'It's not fa...
2024-06-28 16:14:59 +0000 UTC View PostI found myself standing in the middle of a great hall—a vast labyrinth of towering shelves stretching in every direction as far as the eye could see.
Dusty beams of light filtered through the narrow aisles, cast by the dozens of flameless lanterns lining the thick marble walls, and the only thing breaking the solemn silence of this extraordinary place was the sound of my own breath.
I couldn't help but smile wistfully as, for the first time in this second chance at ...
2024-06-25 07:46:12 +0000 UTC View PostWhen I returned to the spacious hallway, I couldn't help but overhear the excited chatter of my fellow Aspirants. 'Have they formed groups already?'
While I was busy contemplating my performance and wondering how I could further improve my essence control, the rest of our group seemed to have been busy bonding, and now I was the only one left out.
Not that I particularly cared about pretending to be friends with a bunch of unruly teenagers; just thinking about it brought ba...
2024-06-17 17:47:49 +0000 UTC View PostOn a certain gloomy morning, the large courtyard in front of the Great Tower buzzed with nervous energy as a huge crowd of applicants eagerly awaited the Acceptance ceremony to begin.
Of course, I was there, too. Standing at the very back of the excited crowd to have a better vantage point, I impatiently waited for the glorious moment when I would finally be let inside the famous magical academy—said to be among the best on the Continent.
'Just a little bit longer...'
... 2024-06-11 19:11:49 +0000 UTC View Post
After passing the checkpoint, I carefully began the long descent into the depths of the mysterious Labyrinth. Following the long line of people walking both before and behind me, I spent the time curiously observing my fellow labyrinth-delvers.
Most of them were locals, and to my surprise, there were even plenty of kids around my age as well as old folk. 'It sure is popular down here...'
It seemed that the Labyrinth provided ample opportunity for everyone around here to make a...
2024-06-04 06:58:17 +0000 UTC View PostHi everyone!
I just wanted to let you know that I recently updated the membership tier description to better reflect the benefits available to all my members.
The changes are as follows:
You'll get access to 3 advanced chapters of Arcane Innovator and 3 advanced chapters of Scavenger's Ascension.
You'll get access to 5 advanced chapters of&nb...
2024-05-27 10:13:46 +0000 UTC View PostMorning came, and with it, the insistent heat of late summer. Still, I didn't let it sour my mood, as today was the day when I would finally enter the rumored Great Labyrinth.
However, before I could delve into that dark abyss, there was just one more thing I needed to do in advance - register as an adventurer.
Back in the Borderlands, I didn't want to do it because I feared it would take too long, and I wanted to cross the Plains as quickly as possible. But now I had plent...
2024-05-24 18:20:48 +0000 UTC View PostThe city beneath the Tower was surrounded by a massive wall - a type of wall I had never seen before.
Stretching to both sides as far as the eye could see, it was a completely black, circular thing. Its surface was smooth and unmarred as if carved out of a single piece of obsidian, suggesting such a thing could only be built with the help of magic.
I carefully approached the only entrance point visible on this side of the city, noting that even the gate looked somewhat stra...
2024-05-17 19:39:20 +0000 UTC View Post"Is that so?" The old man's eyes seemed to sparkle with a mixture of intrigue and caution at my words. "There's only one reason for someone so young to seek that place - you have the Talent, aren't you?"
"Yes, I do," I reluctantly admitted, still not too comfortable with discussing matters of magic with strangers. Yet, I had already wasted enough time wandering about this damn place, so I wanted to get to the heart of the matter as soon as possible. "Can you perhaps tell me how t...
2024-05-10 13:36:32 +0000 UTC View Post